Gifts Today magazine

NY NOW expects 400 new exhibitors

An expanded slate of more than 400 new and returning exhibitors are expected for the NY NOW Winter 2015 Market

An expanded slate of 400+ new and returning exhibitors will be among NY NOW’s 2,800 total exhibitors at a blockbuster winter 2015 edition of NY NOW®, the Market for Home +Lifestyle, to be held January 31- February 4, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Center. Along with newcomers positioned within NY NOW’s three Collections – HOME, LIFESTYLE and HANDMADE – the Market will introduce a concentration of newcomers within a NEW! area at the rear of the Level Three exhibit floor.

“New resources are the lifeblood of a tradeshow, and NY NOW will showcase hundreds of new companies this winter,” said Scott Kramer, NY NOW co-director and vice president. “The demand for exhibit space from new companies was strong this winter so we created a NEW! area, which will present some 40 cross-category resources in one central exhibit location.”

Through NY NOW’s successful HANDMADE® Emerging Makers initiative – an “incubator space” for emerging craft designers and makers – several artisans will debut at NY NOW. Emerging Makers introduces the work of emerging craft designers and makers, selected on the basis of design concept, creativity and originality.

Notable among Emerging Makers confirmed for the winter 2015 Market are siblings Ruth and Peter DeJong of De JONG & Co. from Los Angeles, CA, and Summer Moore of the Brooklyn-based LESH. LESH is a line of hand-woven, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, which explore new patterns and color combinations. DeJONG & Co.’s handcrafted homewares, such as cutting boards and spice mills, seek to elevate everyday lifestyle through functional, beautiful design.

In addition to first-time exhibitors, a number of leading industry suppliers will return to NY NOW following an absence from the New York Market. Companies returning to the LIFESTYLE Collection include Aero Pen Int'l, Inc., Gift Wrap Company and Kurt S. Adler, Inc. (Gift); Renditions by Reesa and Silly Souls (Baby + Child); Angelrox and Zsa Zsa Jewels (Personal Accessories); and rareEARTH Naturals and Thompson Ferrier LLC (Personal Care + Wellness). Within the HOME Collection, notable returns include Caleb Siemon/Siemon&Salazar and notNeutral (Accent on Design®); Beverly Furniture, DwellStudio, Gabby, Mariachi Imports and Ro-Sham-Beaux (Home Furnishings + Textiles); and MOTTAHEDEH and The Wine Clip (Tabletop + Gourmet Housewares). The HANDMADE Collection also welcomes a number of returning exhibitors, including Hotchkiss Mobiles and Terra Glassworks (Handmade Designer Maker) and Culture Shock (Handmade Global Design).

All NEW! exhibitors – whether located in the NEW! area or one of the three NY NOW Collections – will enjoy enhanced in-booth signage and directory designations, making these resources easier for buyers to discover. In addition, a special NEW! Preview display, located on the Javits Center North Concourse, will showcase hundreds of products from first-time NY NOW exhibitors.

Related seminars are scheduled to complement these product finds. The NEW! Ideas track recognizes the nation’s growing “Maker Movement,” and offers two seminars related to NY NOW’s “Maker Project”: Susan Szenasy of METROPOLIS will moderate “Modern-Day Matchmaking Redux: Tech Tools For 21st Century Makers,” a look at how technology is fueling a growth in design and how ideas become products. Panelists include Matthew Burnett of Makers Row, Evan Cohen from IndieGoGo, Joanne Domeniconi of The Grommet and Ashley Etling of Red Clay. In a second “Maker Project” session, Erin Andrew of the Small Business Administration, will present “Fostering Small Business Entrepreneurship In Today’s DIY Economy,” focusing on tools and programs available to small businesses creating and selling self-made products.

Also, as part of the NEW! Ideas track, Linda Cahan, visual merchandising and store design expert, and columnist for Gifts and Decorative Accessories, will present “Store Design On a Shoestring: Design Or Renovate?” – trends in store design, and ideas for budgeting and creating a floor plan that works. Attendees will receive a detailed chronological “to do” list designed either for a new store or one in need of renovations. In addition, the NEW! Ideas track is scheduled to include free daily programming – a series of 15-minute seminars presented by SnapRetail, which will focus on a variety of strategies for retailers – from how to get the most out of a store’s website, to effective strategies for Pinterest and Instagram.
About NY NOW
The winter 2015 edition of NY NOW®, the Market for Home +Lifestyle, will run Saturday, January 31, through Wednesday, February 4, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. NY NOW has staggered show opening dates and locations, with HANDMADE running Saturday to Tuesday, and HOME and LIFESTYLE running Sunday to Wednesday. Market hours are 9am – 6pm, daily, except Tuesday, February 3, when HANDMADE closes at 5pm; and Wednesday, February 4, when HOME and LIFESTYLE close at 2pm.www.nynow.com